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Post by Bruce on Jan 14, 2019 16:47:07 GMT 12
That is a really unorthodox bow design! not attractive at all, but probably really good for pushing ice floes and whales out of the way...
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Post by Bruce on Jan 14, 2019 10:47:04 GMT 12
Well ,whatever we get, surely one of the main criteria is there is a state of the art scale model available in 1/72 and possibly 1/48 scale. This was a major failing on choosing the P-8 and likely the cause of such angst and ruminations on the other thread...though by the time we get them it might be available... You can get a really nice 1/72 P8 model from Welsh Models, but its really expensive. Revell do a 1/72 A400M. Italeri do a 1/72 C27 and C130J, and Anigrand do a C17. 1/72 Modellers will be OK whatever is chosen!
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Post by Bruce on Jan 6, 2019 21:09:38 GMT 12
Explain this further please regarding the loss of centre section lift. Is it related to the propeller tip vortices washing the fuselage in an undesirable sense? Airflow off the propellers moves along the aircraft in a spiral pattern. When the prop blades are travelling up in the middle, that is deflecting the airflow down. When it hits the centre section it effectively gives it a negative angle of attack, therefore its not generating any lift. The effect is particularly bad on the P-82 as the air is constrained in the channel between the fuselages, rather than disappating across the wing as on a conventional twin. By swapping the engines over, the airflow hit the wing in an upward direction, Positive AoA and therefore could properly generate lift.
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Post by Bruce on Dec 30, 2018 17:41:37 GMT 12
In the '87 Americas Cup, New Zealand competed with KZ7, but had two trials boats, KZ3 and KZ5. Maybe the reference is that KZ6 was the "missing" one from the series?
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Post by Bruce on Dec 30, 2018 14:53:07 GMT 12
You can always make a Beaverette look good though... Park a Semple Tank beside it!
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Post by Bruce on Dec 23, 2018 16:38:56 GMT 12
ahh, the Continental GTSIO-520 engines (Geared, Turbo-supercharged, Injected, 520 Cubic Inch...) Possibly one of the most complex piston engines available for GA Aircraft, and certainly a model that required very careful handling. "Gitsos" were definitely less reliable than the equivalent Lycoming TIO-540s used on Piper Chieftains etc. If the spec was for a close "like for like" replacement of the Devon, I wonder if the PA31 series was considered at the time? Obviously the budget at the time was for a piston twin, in which case the C421 and PA31 were new and state of the art. Short of going to a turbine such as the B200 or C406 whatever was chosen would have the turbine shutdown time issue and delicate C of G. Its interesting that several airlines operating turbocharged light twins found that on some routes (Cook strait, Auckland to Whangarei etc) elapsed time on the turbocharged piston twins was longer than that on a PBN Islander, which flew slower, but didnt have the run down time.
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Post by Bruce on Dec 7, 2018 21:29:44 GMT 12
I have had a look on Retrolens and I think I have found the Hudson at Alma in a 1978 aerial: The shape and size looks correct and the location opposite the service station fits. I tried looking in the indicated area at Maheno earlier - both 1955 and 1956 aerials show the highway at that spot south of "Clarks Mill" had been realigned by then and there didnt appear to be any sign of previous structures at that point. just north of that however on the area associated the mill (which I understand is a local historic building is a ramshakle collection of farm buildings with a large assortment of "junk" outside them. The resolution of the 1955 and 56 photos doesnt allow identification of any Hudson bits, bit there are a number of possible targets of suitable size.
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Post by Bruce on Dec 4, 2018 20:41:00 GMT 12
looks like he went and had a look at Balls Pyramid while he was passing... as he should!
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3rd OPV
Nov 26, 2018 17:25:57 GMT 12
Post by Bruce on Nov 26, 2018 17:25:57 GMT 12
Not a silly idea.... HMS Clyde would be very capable for the role.... could be the new HMNZS Waikato (since its a River Class...)
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Post by Bruce on Nov 25, 2018 19:42:11 GMT 12
In that first batch, I note carefully hidden above ZK-AGM, a spare set of wings, albeit with some bits missing. Who belongs/ed to these? they look like Dominie / Rapide upper wings...
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Post by Bruce on Nov 25, 2018 19:38:46 GMT 12
I've been doing some checking since I'm working through building models of the RNZAF impressed aircraft. I've noticed an odd discrepancy inthe book "Aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force" (Duxbury / Ewing / Macpherson) Which says that NZ597 was the sole Coupe Moth Minor, serving at Norwood. According to ADF Serials, 597 re-entered civilian service as ZK-AKM, currently with Stan Smith. It certainly isnt in Coupe configuration now. ZK-AKL was NZ591, which is shown in a photo in the book as being a standard Moth Minor with open cockpits! It seems at some point in its life, AKL gained a coupe top, whilst AKM lost its one! was there a point at some stage that both aircraft were in rebuild and components got swapped around? Or has either the book or ADF serials got the histories wrong? An interesting query!
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Post by Bruce on Nov 1, 2018 21:15:35 GMT 12
If you need more Vac Form canopies, I have quite a number! Some years ago I acquired a box which contained no less than 7 Heller / Tasman Rapides in various states of construction! (I think the guy I bought them off was going to make a diorama of some sort!) I accidentally melted one kit, built up another and the remaining parts were scavenged for various scratchbuilds such as my Miles Aerovan and DH86 Express. If theres any other bits you need duplicates of, let me know as I may have some left.
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Post by Bruce on Oct 31, 2018 16:25:29 GMT 12
I just got the 1/72 AiM DH Dragon kit.... (not cheap mind you...)
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Post by Bruce on Oct 19, 2018 15:03:43 GMT 12
I wondered what was going on there - I had thought the tracker had died... the joys of long distance travel by light aircraft! hopefully they'll be back en-route again shortly.
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Post by Bruce on Oct 16, 2018 11:58:45 GMT 12
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Post by Bruce on Oct 3, 2018 12:00:36 GMT 12
It sounds very improbable. Airlines tend to buy the cheapest fuel and ferry it to other locations if required. They particularly like to uplift fuel from colder locations if they are going somewhere warmer, since it is more dense and they'll have more left when it warms up. Discarding fuel makes no sense at all - they like to ensure the unused reserve stays in the plane. Also when tanks are drained, it increases the risk of debris being stirred up from the tank bottoms and contaminating the fuel system.
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Post by Bruce on Sept 13, 2018 22:02:30 GMT 12
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Post by Bruce on Sept 13, 2018 18:35:12 GMT 12
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Post by Bruce on Sept 2, 2018 9:43:36 GMT 12
The places in NZ most homebuilders use are Aviation and Performance Parts in Auckland or Avspares in Hamilton. In NZ however, everything is expensive, and may have long lead times. If you have any contacts in the shipping industry, you may find getting stuff in directly from the US may be cheaper, but the freight will be the big expense.
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Post by Bruce on Aug 30, 2018 13:43:49 GMT 12
Evidence of global warming since the grass was a lot greener in the 1940s
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